04 Ara 2024 Çarşamba
Olfactory responses of Chaetoptelius vestitus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) to hosts and conspecific odors
Abstract :The
twig borer, Chaetoptelius vestitus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is one of
the most important pests of pistachio trees, Pistacia vera L.
(Anacardiacae). Laboratory studies were undertaken to identify host plant
semiochemicals that can be exploited and utilized to insect control. Pistachio
tree is the natural host of this bark beetle suggesting that volatile compounds
from odor of different parts of the plant may be attractive to this insect. The
main goal of this research was to determine if host or conspecific odors can
act as attractants to pistachio bark beetle. The olfactory responses of the
pistachio bark beetle were tested with a Y-tube olfactometer. The odors
included green and cut and / or dried buds, fresh or dried twigs, infested
twigs and pistachio bark beetle and their feces. Stimuli were tested singly and
in combinations. Using still-air bioassays, C. vestitus males proved to
be the most attracted to fresh buds compared to cut and / or dried pistachio
twigs suggesting the presence of host kairomones. The infested twigs were also
found attractive for beetles in dual-choice tests. Males and females bark
beetle feces attracted both male and female, indicating the existence of
aggregation pheromones or allelochemicals (undigested plant compounds) in the
feces. Further studies should be made to conclude the identities of these
substances. Identification and synthesis of the semiochemicals that attract the
pistachio bark beetle would allow developing new strategies for monitoring and
controlling this pest
Pistacia
vera
L., pistachio bark beetle, behavior, host plant volatiles, olfactometer, attractant